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NCE AGENCY
Volume 12, Number 3
Summer 2008
OHFA's work with HUD's Office of Inspector General leads
to Section 8 fraud conviction and repayment of $22,091
The Oklahoma County District Court sentenced Shar-
meitra N. Threatt to five
years and ordered her to repay
$22,091 to Oklahoma Housing
Finance Agency, April 15. Threatt
admitted to committing fraud to
obtain benefits from Section 8, a
program intended to provide affordable rental housing for low to
moderate income individuals and
families.
Threatt, a civilian employee at
the Oklahoma City Air Logistics
Center at Tinker Air Force Base,
was charged in February 2007
and pleaded guilty in April 2008.
The sentence was deferred with
court supervision until the restitution is paid in full. The maximum
sentence under the law was 10
years and/or a $5,000 fine.
Federal investigators discovered the fraud as part of "Operation FedRent," an anti-fraud
initiative to prosecute federal employees who misrepresent their
income to obtain rental subsidies.
Operation FedRent was
launched in 2006 by the U.S.
Dept. of Housing and Urban
Development Office of Inspector General. As of last January,
/
according to HUD, the ongoing
initiative produced 34 criminal
indictments and recovered over
$540,000 in federal funds.
"Federal employees who earn
enough
income
to rent
their own
apart-
j ment or
home
but
conceal
their worth
to qualify
for rental
assistance are
taking homes
away from those
families who truly need
them," said HUD Inspector General Kenneth Donohue.
Threatt started receiving Section 8 benefits in 2002 and went
to work for the Air Force in 2004.
While she received benefits, she
was required to accurately report her income to OHFA. From
May 2004 until September 2006,
Threatt neglected to report over
$64,000 in income. In 2006, she
claimed that she had no income
while her annual salary was more
than $35,000.
HUD OIG and OHFA fraud
investigators regularly partner in
the investigation and prosecution of Section 8 fraud across the
state of Oklahoma. HUD OIG and
OHFA conducted this investigation with assistance from the Air
Force Materiel Command Office
of Inspector General.
Dennis Shockley, OHFA
executive director, said
his agency works
diligently to fight
fraud.
"The vast majority of families
receiving Section 8
benefits participate in
the program with integrity and honesty," Shockley said.
"However, we take defrauding the
program very seriously. It simply
cannot be tolerated."
OHFA works with the HUD OIG
and other law enforcement agencies to investigate all allegations
of fraud and not just those involving federal workers.
Shockley said since 2003 investigators have recouped more
than $178,000 in 44 fraud cases
for OHFA.
OHFA, Oklahoma's largest
provider of Section 8 vouchers,
assists more than 9,000 families
each month with rental subsidies,
including those with disabilities or
who have been chronically homeless.
"It's a shame that a few individuals believe they can cheat
a program that helps so many
families who really need help in
getting ahead in life," Shockley
said.
Win a Starbucks
Gift Basket*
LOOK INSIDE!
■ Employees at OHFA ride the Happy Bus
across the state
■ City of Miami begins construction on
three homes for families who were
victims of last July's flood disaster
■ Survey finds satisfaction in Section 8
Program
Take the Housing
Connection
survey for your
chance to win this
great give-away!
www.ohfa.org/surveys.htm
Survey ends August 29.
Housing Connection
Oklahoma Housing Finance Agency
P.O. Box 26720
Oklahoma City, OK 73126 .
Presorted Standard
U.S. Postage
Paid
Permit No. 926
Okla City, OK

This Oklahoma state government publication is provided for educational purposes under U.S. copyright law. Other usage requires permission of copyright holders.

Full text

NCE AGENCY
Volume 12, Number 3
Summer 2008
OHFA's work with HUD's Office of Inspector General leads
to Section 8 fraud conviction and repayment of $22,091
The Oklahoma County District Court sentenced Shar-
meitra N. Threatt to five
years and ordered her to repay
$22,091 to Oklahoma Housing
Finance Agency, April 15. Threatt
admitted to committing fraud to
obtain benefits from Section 8, a
program intended to provide affordable rental housing for low to
moderate income individuals and
families.
Threatt, a civilian employee at
the Oklahoma City Air Logistics
Center at Tinker Air Force Base,
was charged in February 2007
and pleaded guilty in April 2008.
The sentence was deferred with
court supervision until the restitution is paid in full. The maximum
sentence under the law was 10
years and/or a $5,000 fine.
Federal investigators discovered the fraud as part of "Operation FedRent," an anti-fraud
initiative to prosecute federal employees who misrepresent their
income to obtain rental subsidies.
Operation FedRent was
launched in 2006 by the U.S.
Dept. of Housing and Urban
Development Office of Inspector General. As of last January,
/
according to HUD, the ongoing
initiative produced 34 criminal
indictments and recovered over
$540,000 in federal funds.
"Federal employees who earn
enough
income
to rent
their own
apart-
j ment or
home
but
conceal
their worth
to qualify
for rental
assistance are
taking homes
away from those
families who truly need
them," said HUD Inspector General Kenneth Donohue.
Threatt started receiving Section 8 benefits in 2002 and went
to work for the Air Force in 2004.
While she received benefits, she
was required to accurately report her income to OHFA. From
May 2004 until September 2006,
Threatt neglected to report over
$64,000 in income. In 2006, she
claimed that she had no income
while her annual salary was more
than $35,000.
HUD OIG and OHFA fraud
investigators regularly partner in
the investigation and prosecution of Section 8 fraud across the
state of Oklahoma. HUD OIG and
OHFA conducted this investigation with assistance from the Air
Force Materiel Command Office
of Inspector General.
Dennis Shockley, OHFA
executive director, said
his agency works
diligently to fight
fraud.
"The vast majority of families
receiving Section 8
benefits participate in
the program with integrity and honesty," Shockley said.
"However, we take defrauding the
program very seriously. It simply
cannot be tolerated."
OHFA works with the HUD OIG
and other law enforcement agencies to investigate all allegations
of fraud and not just those involving federal workers.
Shockley said since 2003 investigators have recouped more
than $178,000 in 44 fraud cases
for OHFA.
OHFA, Oklahoma's largest
provider of Section 8 vouchers,
assists more than 9,000 families
each month with rental subsidies,
including those with disabilities or
who have been chronically homeless.
"It's a shame that a few individuals believe they can cheat
a program that helps so many
families who really need help in
getting ahead in life," Shockley
said.
Win a Starbucks
Gift Basket*
LOOK INSIDE!
■ Employees at OHFA ride the Happy Bus
across the state
■ City of Miami begins construction on
three homes for families who were
victims of last July's flood disaster
■ Survey finds satisfaction in Section 8
Program
Take the Housing
Connection
survey for your
chance to win this
great give-away!
www.ohfa.org/surveys.htm
Survey ends August 29.
Housing Connection
Oklahoma Housing Finance Agency
P.O. Box 26720
Oklahoma City, OK 73126 .
Presorted Standard
U.S. Postage
Paid
Permit No. 926
Okla City, OK